I approach New Year’s Goals the same way I look at shoveling a huge mountain of snow:

Tackle a little bit at a time and eventually you look back and the entire driveway is complete! If you get tired during the process, head inside for hot cocoa & warm cookies to recharge.

It’s a life motto, really.

Plus, if I don’t set some fun goals for the New Year, how will I ever make it through the long, cold winter?

I’m convinced that New Years Goals help beat the winter blahs. Goals help us look forward to things and get excited and dreamy eyed, just like in the summer when the warm breeze is at our backs and the hot sun on our face.

On January 1st, anything is possible.

I’m excited.

Eleven in 2011

2011 THEME: Trust myself.

It is said that if you do everything with love you cannot go wrong. I have been trying to trust myself more and more for the past couple of years, but in 2011, I want to make it the theme of my year. I want to cut down on negativity (internally and externally) and only take on tasks that I truly want to do. I also want to work on giving my heart to my loved ones and always showing and telling friends and family how much they are appreciated.

Hell, I will start a day early…I love you guys!

1) Blogging: Quality over Quantity

There was once a time in my blogging journey when I was more concerned with blogging ‘x times per day’ than producing something that represented my best effort. Throughout 2010, I have realized that it is really about quality over quantity.

My blogging goal for 2011 is to never hit publish on something that is rushed or is not my best effort. I think there is too much pressure on bloggers to post as frequently as humanly possible, but I think it is important to step back and breathe.

2) Take care of my health and continue my journey with a Vegan diet.

Committing to a vegan diet is not always easy and this is why I decided to put it on my 2011 list.

I’m sure many of you think that veganism is a walk in the park for me, but there are many days that I really struggle with my commitment. My journey with veganism is always a work in progress and I have never had an end goal of being a ‘perfect vegan’.

I will slip up.

I will occasionally have foods that aren’t vegan.

I was called a ‘hypocrite’ by a few people when I said that I would try some non-vegan foods while traveling in Paris, but not everyone has to agree with my choices for it to be right for me. We need to stop worrying about what others think of us and do what speaks to us on a personal level.

As long as I keep feeling the positive effects of the food I eat, I’m willing to put in the extra effort to continue along this fun journey.

I want to write a vegan cookbook more than anything! Healthy recipe testing, cooking, and baking makes me feel very fulfilled and excited. Nothing would make me more happy than applying my creativity into a cookbook that I could share with all of you. I have a passion for my cookbooks and they bring me great joy. I would love to be a part of that.

With that being said, I don’t want to write any cookbook; it has to be the right opportunity based on my vision or I am simply going to wait. I will not settle for an offer that my heart is not into just to have a book published. I believe that what is meant to happen will happen, even if it is not as soon as we want!

4) Save 10% of monthly gross income into high interest savings account.

At the end of each month, I will assess how much gross income I have and then I will transfer 10% of this income into my high interest savings account.

5) Run my first 5k race in under 23 minutes (which would be <7:24 min/mile or 4:46 min/km pace)

This is going to take a lot of training, but there is a former track and field speed demon inside of me just waiting to tackle the short distance races again! I used to run sprint distances in school and I thrived on them. For some reason the thought of breathless agony appeals to me.

It’s complicated.

6) Raise money for charity.

In 2011, I am going to pick a new charity and spread the love around.

7) Do Body Pump class a minimum of one time per week.

Another fitness goal of mine is to build muscle. Running is great for my heart and sanity, but it doesn’t do much for building muscle I’m afraid. I have had awesome results with Body Pump in the past and I am excited to take the classes again!

8.) Take a photography course.

My photography skills are self-taught, but I would really love to take a photography course (or two) in 2011 to delve deeper into my newest passion. I learn best visually and hands-on as opposed to reading something off the internet.

It’s really a miracle that I can even operate my DSLR camera. I’m not very tech savvy, naturally. Eric is patient.

9) IRELAND or bust!

(Pic source: David Liddon)

Eric and I have wanted to go to Ireland since we met over 10 years ago. My mother in law grew up in Ireland and we have lots of family that we can stay with to cut back on costs. It would basically be a week of chugging beer, eating chips, and pretending I live in a castle. I’m down with that.

10) Meditate for 3 minutes per day.

My approach to things that scare the crap out of me? Shoot low and I might surprise myself. As easy as 3 minutes per day sounds, this is actually one of the goals I am not sure I will accomplish given my prior track record with meditation!

My goal is to meditate for 3 minutes each day in 2011 in an effort to reduce mental ‘noise’. Mental Noise is what I like to call ‘a brain that never stops talking to itself’.

I suffer from Mental Noise, as do many other women. I have this constant chatter in my head and I’m pretty sure it’s not the kind that can be aided by medication.

11) Wild Card

My final goal for 2011 shall remain a secret until the end of the year! I have to have a few secrets up my sleeve!

Do you have any fun goals for 2011? What are you looking forward to?

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Fabulous goals! I’d definitely buy your cookbook! Personally I’m mostly a “make goals as they come up” kind of gal, so my main “resolution” would have to be to just continue on the path I’m currently on: that is, to follow my heart! :)

Love this list! Thanks for being honest about your occasional struggles with staying vegan. You really do make it look easy! I would LOVE to see what you come up with for a cookbook…I’m sure publishers will be all over it!

Those are awesome goals! Your goal posts (heh) are so inspiring! I made my own today.

After a 200 hour yoga teacher training program I learned a very important thing about meditation-get a cushion. It is the metatative equivalent to how a new lulu item makes you run faster or hold a yoga pose longer and stronger (because we both know lululemon has powers). Hugger mugger makes a great one you can get on amazon. Worth every penny.

I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland too…I heard it’s absolutely gorgeous there! =) You’ll have to take lotssssssss of pictures when you go! Oh and I might just have to steal one of your resolutions…the meditating for 3 minutes a day is such a good idea! =)

My main resolution is to not be such a perfectionist. I don’t always need to get straight A’s, nor beat everyone on runs, or have everything i bake come out perfect. im so competitive, though its good for racing, its bad for the soul!

I just posted about my 2011 goals as well. I love your list, especially the meditate for 3 minutes a day. This is something I have been wanting to learn to do. I would love to hear more about how this goes for you. Here’s to a prosperous 2011! :-)

Good luck with the cookbook! I would definitely buy yours. I hope to eat more vegan in 2011 (just a vegetarian now), so it’s good to know that you still struggle with it. It seems like other vegans have it so easy and don’t crave non-vegan food, or don’t have any problems/distress in passing up food that doesn’t perfectly fit into their diet. So glad to know I’m not alone!

omg i could kiss your feet with this:
“My blogging goal for 2011 is to never hit publish on something that is rushed or is not my best effort. I think there is too much pressure on bloggers to post as frequently as humanly possible, but I think it is important to step back and breathe.

The world will go on. ”
THANK YOU FOR THAT!!!! your posts are always amazing and never ever ever feel rushed. They are works of art.

YOU should be teaching the photog class, not taking :)

Meditate and save money, awesome.

Vegan/traveling stuff…ok i remember when you posted that and i was so happy for you that you ate what you wanted in paris, and i was happy for me too, that you posted that!!! It’s not a walk in the park for me either and thank you for keepin it real :)

Oh wow! I just spent the majority of my afternoon/evening coming up with my goal list and I have many that are the same as yours (photography course in particular!!) Mine will be up on Monday, but they include doing more yoga, eating mindfully, devoting more time to others, and saving for a new car. Looks like it’ll be a big year for both of us!

Thanks for sharing Angela! I discovered your blog back in September, and have read everything from the beginning! Being able to see how open and honest you are about your goals and how you go about achieving them is so inspiring and has really helped me in making many positive changes in my life. These New Year posts were particularly enjoyable to read! I thought it was such a great idea to set longterm goals that were flexible and focused more on personal growth, rather than the typical New Years resolution of losing x pounds, or starting x diet, or exercising x days a week no matter what (!) only to be discouraged the second anything deviates from the plan. If I have learned anything in the past few months, it is that it is okay to slip up and life isn’t an “all or nothing” thing – no one is perfect! I will also be setting 11 in 11 as well and look forward to a fresh start and a healthy and happy outlook on life! I really cannot thank you enough. Good luck in the New Year! I can’t wait to see what you achieve this time around!

Angela, I feel like you’ve grown so much as a person this year. Your outlook on life and your approach to this year prove just that. I hope your book proposal is snatched up as quickly as your baked goods :)

One way to fulfill 2 of your resolution in 2011 – go to Dublin and raise money for charity. I am going to Dublin in October to do the Dublin Marathon as part of Team in Training. They raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I did the San Diego marathon this past June with Team in Training, had a wonderful time and a great experience meeting awesome people, and raised $6000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I love your blog and great recipes!

You have truly spent some reflective time on your 11 in ’11!! I am inspired! Veganism is everything I believe, but what a HUGE commitment to refrain from animal products. I wonder if becoming a vegetarian first is a good step.

I hope you go through with your COOK BOOK!! What a feat in itself, to say I am an AUTHOR!

The cookbook thing seems so “like you”. Please do that :) It WILL be amazing. I can just imagine all the fresh ingredients and beautiful pictures that will go into it! You we’re practically born to do things like this :) Go for it!

I am SO excited to follow along as you tackle these challenges and achieve these goals! I’m excited about what #11 is… I have an idea but I don’t want to jinx anything ;)
Also, as a fellow vegan I can relate to your struggles and it certainly helps me to read what you wrote in #2- so I hope that me telling you this helps you, too! Nobody is perfect, and when it comes to being vegan there are so many different levels- not eating animals, not wearing them, only eating food you grow yourself… no matter what you do there will be an animal (a worm, an ant, an insect) harmed at some point. When I became a vegan I actually found that I stopped caring what other people eat- I only care what I eat. It’s not my place to judge them, just as it is not their place to judge me. Eating food that makes you happy (like your amazing dishes) is what is important. Depriving yourself will only lead to bad things. So let’s celebrate what we DO eat instead of what we do not! Happy (almost) New Year Ange!

I couldn’t agree more, Melissa! I’ve definitely become a happier and more positive person once I stopped focusing on what other people eat or don’t eat (judging and feeling judged are not nice experiences). Even though it’s not always easy, being vegan feels right for me and I love it!

Those are great goals Angela!!! I especially like the photography course… I’d add that to my list… but I’ve already got 10… adding an 11th is just too scary!!! Perhaps… come December 2011… if I’ve accomplished the other goals… I can do that. Good luck with the cookbook. Which publisher would you like to work with?

Making us wait until the end of 2011 for the 11th goal(s)? I can’t wait to hear it! As for the others, they are certainly attainable though I’m sure not without a challenge. I’m sure you can make them! I wrote my 2011 goals the other day — am so excited for the new year.

Are you one of those people who thrives on goal setting? As in, is it easier for you to say, I will start working on “goal x” come January 1, 2011? Instead of, I’ll start working on this now — without a set starting date?

Love these!! For the record, I think you would make an EXCELLENT vegan cookbook author. :) I also choose a “word” for every year that tie all my resolutions together in some way or another. My 2011 post is being published tomorrow morning, and my word is “faith” which has a lot to do with me trusting myself. Here’s to us and an awesome 2011!

Thanks so much for sharing your goals for the new year! I love hearing what other people are thinking about as I am working on my own list. Quite a process! :) Love the Ireland idea. Traveling is the best to expand your world!

It’s talks about a website through which you can make “a binding contract to help you meet a particular goal”, such as new years resolutions – “fail to live up to your end of the deal, and you have to pay a person or charity that you have designated in advance”.

Ha! Though, you seem pretty intrinsically motivated to reach your goals. I’ve never actually set new years resolutions, but you’re list encourages me to make my own :)

I am not that much of a goal setter, but may main goal this year, which is a bit out of my hands at this point, is to get accepted into either Guelph or Ryerson for the Food and Nutrition Program. I have my sights set on being a Dietitian in the future. I have already completed one degree, but I think it’s totally worth it to challenge myself and delve back into school for something that I am truly passionate about. Here’s hoping!

I have a strong love of travel, so your goal to head for Ireland is met with a giant YES by me. Travel is, by far, the best investment I’ve made in myself. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than a different culture, landscape, and society. I hope you meet this goal.

Good luck with all your goals, Angela; I really hope you manage to achieve all of them, or at least have fun trying! I always find it difficult to come up with a list of goals but yours are truly great. I would definitely buy that cookbook! And I know you say your vegan journey is ongoing and you do slip up sometimes, but I thought I’d let you know just in case that Guinness isn’t vegetarian. Of course, you might choose to drink it anyway, which is perfectly fine, and I would never call you a hypocrite! :) You have to do what feels right to *you*, but I also believe you should be equipped with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision :)

AH! I love this post. I really appreciate your openness- it’s a brave, bold move to put your goals out on the table like this. Makes for some high stakes, but I have no doubt you’ll do a fabulous job of knockin’ ’em out :)

Haha so say, by 2030, you’re going to have to make 30 goals! Good luck with that! :P
Your goals are great! I’m SO excited about the cookbook! Honestly I think it would be a huge success! Can I pre-order it now? :)

I’m with you on the releasing negative thought train in 2011 – and looking forward to it! Side question– what model of Garmin do you use? I am going between a 205 and a 305… both are good deals on amazon!

I love you. This was beautiful.
I want to try new things with my food .Like for fun I want to go Vegan for a week or so. Vegetarian for a week or so. Clean- eat for 1 month straight ( I think I almost already do! lol)

I also like the quality over quantity. I usually just post once a day. And its what is on my mind! and whats happenin!
Good luck on all those crazy and awesome goals of yours! I know you can do it!

Very inspiring post, thank you! I’ll have to spend the next few days properly thinking of what I want to achieve, but it’ll definitely involve getting a new job (that I’ll hopefully like), eating consistantly better (instead of in short bursts when I get inspired every now and then), and *positively* recovering from a heartbreak (an Irish hah ;) ). By that I mean working on the lack of confidence the whole thing brought me, and acknowledging that if, for instance, I left that relationship feeling embarrassed about the quality my writing, then writing more will make me feel better about it.
To put it shortly, being happy about defines me as a person.

And good luck with all your goals, I’m looking forward to reading about how you’ll work to achieve them! As for the cookbook project, I’ll definitely buy it!!

Whenever I read your blog, I always think, “Man, her recipes would be awesome for a cookbook.” As a vegan, I feel like it’s easy to be repetitive in the kitchen, but you make such creative and inspiring dishes.

Also, I don’t think you’re a hypocrite at all for the occasional slip up. Sometimes, like in Paris, there are NO or very little options for vegans in some cities, and that shouldn’t keep anyone from traveling.

I agree – I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all. You can’t deprive yourself of something, so if you give in to the craving it’s so much better than depriving and constantly thinking about it. Some people are just too strict in their eating, and we’re all human. You need to enjoy yourself too. Also, if you’re in a situation where you really can’t go animal product free, what are you supposed to do – starve? I don’t think so! When I eat something I don’t deem healthy, but I want it, I enjoy myself. It doesn’t happen all the time.

I LOVE your goals!
Out of all the food blogs I read (and that’s a lot of blogs), yours is the one I want most to have a cookbook, so I’m begging you to do that goal :P
The 5k one? Love it, I want to jump on board! Equally with the vegan one, and the camera knowledge is already on my goal list too :) but I gotta say – how can your posts get any better? They always do seem so quality!

happy new year, angela!
thank you so much for sharing your 11 goals for 2011. i love the variety! you have so many areas of interest, and that is what makes for a full and happy life. can’t wait to read about your progress as the year FLIES by (don’t they always!).
me? i have yet to write mine down, but i, too, have plans for travel, photography, family, fitness…i love the freshness and hope that new year’s eve brings!

Great goals — I like that they are specific but give you lots of room for exploration.

This year I’ve decided that I will make no resolutions and no goals, per se. Instead, I have a list of things I look forward to trying (firsts) or continuing (repeats). I’m highly structured so this is a big step, to re-frame how I approach some things I’d like to do in my life. We’ll see how it goes ;)

Oh, side note: I appreciate your desire for quality vs. quantity in your blogging. While you were participating in PFB I saw your blogging style sharpen in a way that, as a reader, I really enjoyed. Beautiful photos complimenting a recipe that I would surely want to try. I’m far more interested in reading a great blog post every couple of days than a daily food diary thrown up quickly (not that there isn’t a place for that in food blog world…just stating my preference!) My point is I look forward to your 2011 posts because the evolution of this blog has been astounding.

What an exciting set of goals. Best of luck with the book proposal. You have amazing receipes though, so I see it being snapped up!

That photo of Ireland – is of the castle in my hometown. I was there taking photos of it in the snow just the other day! I know you have lots of relatives here but if you want any ideas or tips let me know. I don’t live her always but I grew up here and likely to be around/nearby in the 2nd half of the year if you were thinking of doing a reader meetup?

I’m so glad you shared your goals with the world. I think it’s great that you admit you aren’t a perfect vegan. No one should judge for your choices. I am positive you can publish a cookbook. You have a very large following and publishers love that. And I like the 3 minutes a day thing. That seems manageable for anything! Happy new year.

I love your goals!! I have a lot of similar ones for 2011, including the BodyPump, the photography, and the veganism. I’m trying to commit myself to a month of veganism to start off, then taking it from there. Congrats on a successful 2010, and here’s to a wonderful 2011!!

Frying bacon the other night for my “non vegan” family, my brother in law asked what I miss the most about “eating like a normal person” and my response was grilled cheese :) The 5 year old in me craves it once every couple months. Being vegan and having a sensitivity to glutten makes eating clean easier but I know I will always have cravings…. aka the desire for a chunk of cheddar cheese.

Your goal #2 really resonated with me: Taking care of you health and continuing on your vegan journey. If you don’t mind, I’m going to adopt your goal #2.
I’m glad you noted that eating vegan 100% of the time is not easy, especially when traveling and/or eating out. We don’t have to berate ourselves if we partake in something non-vegan once in a rare while. But it’s a journey we want to continue. If we’re mindful of the journey then those non-vegan moments will get fewer and further between.

Last year I decided to be Vegan and like you I have made choices to eat some foods that are not. (like an earlier post cheese was my main weakness) This year I not only want to eat completely Vegan I also want to stop eating processed foods and eat cleaner. I hosted Christmas dinner this year for my family where everything was vegan except for the turkey, I have told the family that this was the last one I would make an in future any meals at my home will be Vegan. I have noticed that the family members I expected the most resistance from have been the most open to my way of eating which makes me feel great. Other goals are to continue to exercise but kick it up to at least 4 times a weeks or even better 5 times, to get my papers in order( I do not plan on leaving this earth any time soon but have seen what can happen if people cannot find your paperwork), plant a vegetable garden, take an art class I would like to learn to paint in watercolour, type up my mothers recipes and make into a book to give to family (also try to convert them to vegan dishes for me), volunteer I am looking or a place to volunteer in the Peel region, and finally watch less TV and spend more time doing all the things I want to do on this list. Have a great year everyone! Also Angela there is always room for another cookbook on my shelf.

Amazing goals! You are so dedicated and motivated, I know you will accomplish all you set out to do. Good luck and happy new year!

And my goal? Make things home made. I buy far too many things in store that would require not much more than a whiz in the food processor, a grind in the coffee grinder or a bake in the oven… so why not save money and make my own hummus or nut butter? :)

Great goals!!! TAKE a photography course??? OMG Angela, I think you could TEACH a photography course!!! I’m sure you disagree and of course have much to learn, but please know your pictures are fantastic!! And for the record, I’ll be buying your book WHEN (not if) it’s published!!! All the best to you and Eric (and Sketchie) for 2011!

Love the goals and I do themes every year! This year, my theme is “CHAAARRRRGE!!!!” I’m ready to accomplish a lot of the bigger goals that I have been working on over the last couple of years and am quite excited for them!

I’m excited to hear about how your cookbook goes as I’ll be first to pre-order a copy! I’m sure you’ll be fighting publishers off!

Looking forward to following along this year and see what’s in store for you!

I think it’s great to set goals at the beginning of each year. But, what should ultimately be applauded is all that you accomplish which you never planned for! Wishing you have a very happy new year :)

I love your goals. I am also serious about writing my cookbook this year and finding a publisher. I too, have had this as a dream and have been playing around with recipes for years now. It’s interesting because recipes I developed years ago, I no long like or use ( many of them ).. it’s interesting to see how what changes over time.

i am shocked that you don’t know much about your camera because your photos are truly wonderful – you have a real natural talent! anyway, this is a great and diverse set of goals, and i have to say that out of any blogger, a cookbook by you would be the one i’d most like to read. i’ve tried so many of your recipes, and they are always delicious. you’ve come so far as a writer and chef since you started this blog, and i really think this is something you can make happen. hard work pays off, you’re a shining example of that!

i have 2 thoughts – one, just an idea with the savings.. obviously this is different for me because i get a steady paycheck each week while you are running your own business. but, i have my paycheck set up so that 20% automatically goes into my savings account. that money literally doesn’t exist to me, and i honestly forget it’s there until i look at my balance every now and then and see how much it’s grown. i think it’s really important to just get yourself in the habit of seeing only a percentage of your income as spendable. so if you’re making $100 and want to save 10%, you automatically see the $100 as $90. that other 10% just doesn’t exist. it’s kind of an adjustment in perspective and probably a little financially uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it, and it’s really worth it!

and two, i think it’s so wonderful that you are committed to veganism, have felt its positive effects on your health, and want to stay committed to it. this is personal opinion, but i’ve always felt strongest in my style of eating when i let go of the pressure to label myself as any one thing. i realize it’s easier to explain to people how you eat if you have a category to place yourself in, but in the end we are living this way for ourselves and for no one else. the way you eat should be motivated from within, not from other’s comments or the rules of a category. if you want to be a vegan who eats butter in paris, i think that’s fabulous. you’re being angela, and that’s what matters.

I too struggled with the whole label aspect myself…at times it was more of a curse than anything, but other times it helped me with my commitment when I wanted to give up. I want other people to see that they can enjoy vegan foods without having to be ‘perfect’…or to even label themselves for that matter. I think a lot of people shy away from vegan foods because they think that they have to never eat something with an animal product again. I just want people to have fun with it and do what works for them.

I want to make my savings automatic, but I’m not sure how I would go about this. I have my blog payments that go into Paypal each month and my Glo Bakery payments into my business bank account every 2 weeks. Both fluctuate each time. I wonder how I could do this…

hi Angela, you are too funny. spending your savings on Coconut Bliss!
I’m continuing a theme of gratitude for 2011, really focussed on this in 2010 and it was a great way to stay positive through tough times. I’m taking it a step further and keeping a gratitude journal (how Oprah of me), and thinking this will help me get through the next couple of semesters of school with a bit of grace. One resolution on my list is to look for resolutions. A bad habit of mine is to dwell in drama & negativity. I realized this past week while dealing with some negativity from some family & friends related to my vegan lifestyle, that I need to stop dwelling, acknowledge the issue, and then figure out a way I can make the situation better or just move on and stop wasting precious energy.

nice goals! i think it is so important to have goals that are solely individual based without outside influence as well as joint goals with your partner. i think achieving one helps the other goal be accomplished. we’ve come a long way this year! happy nye!

Yay COOKBOOK! Your recipes are divine and versatile. I used your cranberry almond loove blondie batter last night to make cookies! Worked great. I swapped the orange zest and almond extract for lemon and vanilla, and finished them off with a drizzle of lemon icing.

I have a lot of big plans for next year. I’m getting married, finishing my M.A. and starting a new job. I think I’ll use your three minutes of peace idea, I’ll need it:)

Love your list. This is the first year that I am going to make a resolution list. I figure I am not getting any younger and if I really want to accomplish my goals, I have to write them down and hang them on the wall where I can’t miss them.
So far I have…
train and run a 5k race (I am not a runner, so this is a hard one for me, but I did run 1.5k on the treadmill last night)
live simpler – why am I buying that $4.00 loaf of bread when I have all the ingredients to make it? Do I really need 15 purses?
For me my list is about change and making my life better.

I like your goals, and I believe they’ve helped me form my New Year’s Goals (not resolutions!). I really like the habit of making meditation a part of each day. I have the same problem where thoughts are constantly going through my head, and there are times where I feel like I’m losing my marbles because I can’t stop thinking about something. I’ve read where people who meditate are happier (and I’ve bought a book about meditation by a Tibetan Monk who touts his meditation practice for his happiness). Anyway, so I’m making meditation a part of my life too. Another goal is that I need to stop being busy so much – even when I’m watching tv, I’ll read a book or wash the dishes (it’s pathetic – I can’t really relax and do NOTHING). I need to just sit and be sometimes. Sit on the deck and watch nature go by or my dogs play. Not always be on the go! thanks for the inspiration!

I really love the concept of trusting yourself.” I think us women in paticular, really have a problem believing in ourselves. I know that personally, I will overthink & over-analyze decisions I make because I don’t want anyone to “not like me” or think I thought my idea was greater then theres. I might take a page outta your book and work on trusting myself as well. This year I definitly want to work on my confidence (which I guess ties in with trusting myself!).

I think for a lot of people “veganism” is a way of life. It’s a commitment to animals and a crusade to end their suffering. So I think for people who have chosen to remove dairy and animal protein from their diet for health reasons, it’s really easy for us to say: Oh, well I want to try some food, because one decadent treat (say local French cheese) isn’t going to kill me health wise. But for someone who believes it’s morally objectionable to have it would find that a “failure”. I find a lot of them get really offended when they come across someone who is doing it for health.

Now I don’t know why you choose to adopt the vegan diet but I always had the impression that it was mainly for health reasons. I think it’s harder to adhere to it for health reasons, especially if you love food because you want to try all the delicious cuisine the world has to offer. I recently made the switch to a dairy free, animal protein free diet myself and most of the time I avoid using the term “vegan” because I don’t want to offend those that are living the lifestyle.

Bottom line is I love your vegan recipes, your posts, your photos, and your journey. I wish you the best in 2011.

I’m a vegan for many reasons, including animal welfare, health, and environmental reasons, but I cannot help if I offend people if I have the occasional dairy in my food. I’m doing this on my own terms, no one elses.

You should have no problem with the cookbook. I make more of your recipes than anyone elses. I have tons of cookbooks but I constantly come back to your blog for easy to follow recipes that don’t have a lot of hard to find ingredients. I think most of my Christmas items came from you. You don’t depend on tofu or soy and I like that. My husband even likes them and he’s not vegan.

I think a lot of us struggle with being a perfect vegan. We all have to remember that putting that pressure on ourselves to reach perfection is stressful and very harmful to us both inside and out. That defeats the purpose of eating healthy. Your theme of TRUST YOURSELF will fit nicely here. Trust yourself to do what’s right for you…no one else.

Thanks for the great blog. I can’t wait to see where 2011 takes you. I will be first in line (or online) to nab that cookbook when it comes out. Good luck!

Wow. Your comment about health/veganism was refreshing! It has seemed at times that it is a “walk in the park” for you (though I had trouble believing it!). It reminds me that my own simple steps (like incorporating more raw foods) are just that: my OWN personal efforts. Thanks for the honesty with your goals. I think it goes along with “trusting yourself”.

As for the cookibook: GREAT goal. Especially if you made is accessible to novices/focused on the cookbook as part of a vegan journey. I think much of the success of your blog is your approachability (honesty, light nature, encouragement to try something that was also challenging to you, admitting some of the difficulties along the way). Incorporating that beautfiul element into a vegan cookbook would a sure selling point. Perhaps you could even try some type of a syndicated column in a print/online publication (beyond the blog) to compliment (and promote) the cookbook’s development.

Girl! please please please write that dang cookbook! I have way way way to many papers scattered all over the place with your recipes on them! Also dont stress over a dollop of butter of a slice of salmon. life is too short to be controlled over minimal issues that are SUPPOSED to increase quality of life. Don’t let people be critical on you. Just try your hardest to be a vegan and if you slip up once in a blue thats NOT the issue. Think about the big picture instead of the polaroid! your making a stand for every time youve said no to meat. But if you have a tiny bit of butter in a restaurant dish thats just peanuts in the grand scheme of things! Pat yourself on the back!

Your theme “Trust yourself” is something I have been struggling with a lot this year. Following our intuition in terms of what we REALLY want to do can be so readily complicated by external factors (comparisons to peers, pressure from family, society, media) and guide us away from our path, especially when we believe their messages about success and joy to be true. I hope to incorporate this trust into my resolutions too and believe that the best decisions are the ones that excite us.
Oh, and I’m with Brittany- I have baked and cooked your recipes for family and friends over the holidays with nothing but positive results. As I read your goal to write a cookbook I thought “finally” haha I whole heartedly support your endeavor! Thank you sharing your thoughts and experiences this year on your blog. Happy New Year!

Honestly Angela, I’m surprised no publisher has approached you about a book! I know there are always ‘scouts’ active in blogland looking for new talent – PLEASE, one of you find this woman and get her a book!! The world needs to glow! :)
I love all your goals for this coming year and am inspired to find some of my own. I’m stuck in a career rut and kind of at a giant intersection in terms of figuring out longer term goals.

Dude, am I glad to subscribe to your blog. Currently gorging on chocolate hazelnut fudge ice cream from Coconut Bliss. Had no idea they existed so thank you so much! Totally worth the $6.99+tax and trip to the Yorkville Whole Foods.

Awesome goals!! As a reader of your blog, I definitely think that your less-frequent posts have been better in quality. Also I can’t even keep up when you were posting more than once a day! :P Glad to hear you’re letting the criticism about your veganism roll off your back – I fully agree that we have no one to answer to but ourselves in that regard, as we’re the ones who have to live with our choices. Looking forward to reading your blog in 2011!!

Great post! My favorite thing you said: “We need to stop worrying about what others think of us and do what speaks to us on a personal level.” This pretty much sums up my main goal for 2011… I want to continue growing into who I am, not who others expect me to be, and tune out the people that want to bring me down. I never understand why some people are SO determined to be a negative force – but who cares! It’s not our problem. Here’s to a postive, uplifting 2011! xoxo (and I really hope you do write a cookbook, because I will definitely be purchasing it!)

I’d be happy to be a taster for your cookbook! This past fall and holiday season I made the carmelized banana brownies, twice baked bar nuts, and your classic vinegarette dressing. All were amazing and have been and will be made again. I refer to you when speaking to my husband as “the Candian girl.” And I love that I can make anything you post as I am vegan as well.

Thanks so much for sharing your goals and I loved your explanation of how making goals helps beat the post-holiday blues. I always look forward to reading your blog and making your wonderful recipes and I wanted to thank you so much for all your open and honest submissions.

The Nazi Vegan is the worst kind of Vegan. Instead of proselytizing and telling other people how to live their lives, we should be encouraging each other, and act on compassion and not pointing out the small slip ups here and there. By becoming Vegan and living a 95-99% Vegan lifestyle, you are already doing a lot for well, the environment, animals, and your health. That’s better than anyone could hope for. So what if on special occasions one becomes a little lax about being 100% vegan- as if normal people who aren’t vegan don’t make the wisest choices in their diet from time to time? But it’s not even about that- veganism to me is about compassion, and when people start harping on “You’re not a vegan because you ate ____ on _____! It has 2.5% x and yada yada yada..” it really in my opinion, goes further/detracts from what veganism is based on. Treating your fellow human being with respect is more important than pointing out the most minute of issues such as slipping up every now and then. When I had read about Alicia Silverstone admitting to cheating on her [Vegan] diet sometimes, I was appalled at how many people started to lambast her, saying that she should be acting as a role model, she shouldn’t be admitting that kind of stuff, or even slipping up *period*.. well- she DID act as a role model, and demonstrated to people that slipping up sometimes is not the end of the world. She demonstrated that well, she’s human! Like everyone else. Plus if she’s not already brought more awareness on veganism by her being openly vegan and speaking about it publicly.. that’s a lot in itself. The Big Picture, people! :)

Those are some of the best resolutions I’ve read of yet. Mine is to stop being so hard on myself all the time…along the same lines as your theme as well. I think you would make a beautiful vegan cookbook that I would most definitely invest in!!

You have inspired me to make a list of goals!! Good luck in the New Year!

Happy New Year, Angela! I wish you a spectacular 2011 that brings you everything you wish (and clearly work very hard) for and so much more!!!

I’ve been following your blog since the summer, but I think I’ve not commented before as I always thought I should create a blog or something first to not appear like some crazy stalker person ;-)

I love your blog, your recipes, your photography (stunning!), everything! You seem like such a nice person!
I’ve tried many of your recipes and have loved them all! I went vegan in the early parts of last year, and your site has been, and continues to be, such a great source of inspiration! Your Project Food Blog posts were out of this world, they really were! I got the feeling the quality of your blog has greatly improved since you started the challenges, and I thought the quality was very, VERY high before! I hope this doesn’t sound weird :-)

All the very best for 2011!!!

PS: Sketchie is the most beautiful cat ever- so unusual!
PPS: Your MIL’s house/decoration/table settings are amazing (I realise that this has nothing to do with this post :-) )

I forgot something…here’s a PPPS: I am honestly surprised that you have not yet been offered a book deal by a publisher, or been picked up by an agent! I am sure that this dream of yours will become a reality and I can’t wait for it!
Thanks for sharing your life, ideas, dreams, creativity and recipes with all of us!

I’m also surprised that you don’t already have a book deal! Like Nathalie, I’m a relatively new reader, and your recipes are consistently fantastic! I often find myself wishing I lived in the States so that I could order some of your baked goods.

Your warm and open style makes your blog one of the highlights in my feed reader. Best of luck this year! I’m sure you’ll accomplish every thing you set out to, and probably more.

Happy New Year Angela!! Wishing you all the best for this upcoming year. Thank you for your generous blog with wonderful information and yummy recipes. I am actually making a inspiration board which was inspired by the one you did last year.

I love your 2011 goals. One of mine is to continually work out my vegan path. I’m not 100% vegan and I’m not sure that will ever be a goal but I’m going to try to eat this way as much as possible (i.e. at home and in restaurants but just remain dairy-free when eating over friend’s and family’s homes). Oh, and to trust myself. This is the most difficult for me. I left my vegan path for a bit last year due to outside pressures and I just didn’t feel well. If i’d trusted myself then I would have known that vegan food suits my body. Ah well, I’m happy and grateful for the journey :)

Ireland- amazing!!! I’ve only visited southern ireland but it’s so beautiful. How exciting!

I just wanted to let you know how inspried I was by this post and the one reflecting on your 2010 goals. You have given me energy to move forward. I posted my own ’11’ to my blog and my friends loved it and are supporting me. Thanks for your inspiration.

please please please oh please write a vegan cookbook. i will pre-order and love and treasure it forever! even though i love all of your recipes online, having something in print that i could whip out and impress everyone with would be amazing!

love your resolutions & your outlook on veganism – even though we all try to be perfect it’s refreshing and inspiring for someone to openly admit that they can and do struggle just like i do. plus you made france-inspired vegan tarts that looked divine so whatever ;)

you also inspired me to revamp my old baking blog into a vegan one so thank you for all of your honesty & amazing-ness! happy new years :)

I have to say I am slightly relieved to hear that you too have some slight issues when sticking to a vegan diet.

I’ve been toying with being vegan since August. Your blog has been a great place for inspiration! I have been struggling with being a vegan since then. I am able to be vegan at home, but find it difficult when I am away and can’t quite control the situation. I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I am doing all of this to be a healthier, happier version of myself. I think I was honestly worried in the beginning that if I let a morsel of cheese enter my mouth, someone from the Vegan Police Squad would find me and start screaming hypocrite! Now I realize that what I do is what is best for me, and doesn’t have to fit into a label or strict definition someone else sets.

Anyway – this longwinded response is that I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one!

I’m so sad to hear that people called you a hypocrite related to your food choices. I honestly believe that we’re all walking our own path and that we should respect that in one another. People who get so stuck on being the “perfect vegan” or applying that label so militantly have chosen to do so for the wrong reasons. Focusing our energy on optimal health and on living gently on our planet (and all the other positive reasons to choose to eschew animal products) is virtuous, yes, but judging others’ success at that based on that kind of all-or-nothing thinking just means that they have issues!

As for 2011, my mantra is “sink in” or “sink in to honoring what I need in the moment and to assemble a life of “I-would-love-to…”s and “too-good-to-be-true”s”. :-)

Writing a cookbook would be such an exciting process and I know that you would do wonderfully! I’ve always dreamed of doing that myself but I’d need to start actually writing out my recipes (haha). Maybe someday! For now, in 2011, I’m concentrating on graduating college in the spring and either beginning grad school in Education or jumping into a teaching career in the fall. Good luck with your goals and I hope you know how inspiring your positivity and creativity are to a girl like me, trying to find her path and herself along the way. :-)

It took me a little while to get back to you, but thank you so much for mentioning us in your blog post. Out of nowhere…we received A LOT of visits from your link. We are so grateful. :)
(btw, this is who “we” are.. http://coconutbliss.com/about/who-we-are )
Thank you again!
Also…on the down low…we’re releasing some new flavors for 2011. :)